Guest wrote:
Just dont call the ships, they dont want to talk to you
The bridge navigational watch crew certainly doesn't need the distraction of irrelevant calls from onlookers. They are monitoring at least 2 radios for some combination of Channels 16, 13 and area VTS. The amount of chatter on Channel 16 is distraction enough although it is somewhat abated by encouraging small craft to use Channel 9 for routine calling.
The radio is secondary to all the navigation tasks including both visual and radar observations for potential conflicting ship movements. This is made worse by erratic recreational vessel movements and, worst case, some idiot on a jet ski cutting back and forth in front of the bow.
A friendly wave from onlookers on shore may get a response but don't be offended if the crew had other priorities. A radio call is the height of irresponsibility as well as being illegal.
As someone who works aboard, I can safely tell you that you should not attempt to call the ships while navigating in the rivers unless you know someone on board and know that they are ok with receiving a radio call at that time. It is very distracting in a situation that already calls for a fair bit of multitasking to stay safe.
Having said that, I have never seen a CB on a ship. All the lakers used to carry SSB MF/HF which would be capable (maybe, depends on model) of communicating on CB frequencies. But CB is above SSB and below VHF on the frequency spectrum. I would think the presence of a CB on a ship is the exception, rather than the rule.
Scott wrote:Growing up in Duluth in the 70's I knew a guy who would use a HAM or a CB setup to talk with the freighter crews. Someone apparently didn't appreciate his efforts, however, as a few times the voice on the other end told him off :)
Is there a way to know what vessels have CB? So I don’t contact one and get no response, and don’t think they’ Ignoring me?
Just dont call the ships, they dont want to talk to you
Scott wrote:Growing up in Duluth in the 70's I knew a guy who would use a HAM or a CB setup to talk with the freighter crews. Someone apparently didn't appreciate his efforts, however, as a few times the voice on the other end told him off :)
Is there a way to know what vessels have CB? So I don’t contact one and get no response, and don’t think they’ Ignoring me?
Given the lack of popularity of CB today, I would doubt any ship would regularly have it on board. I also doubt it would even be permitted in the ship's operational areas in today's environment.
Some ship have had hams on the crew that are active on the ham bands when they are off watch. I am not aware of any at this time but earlier poster "amateur operator" may know.
Scott wrote:Growing up in Duluth in the 70's I knew a guy who would use a HAM or a CB setup to talk with the freighter crews. Someone apparently didn't appreciate his efforts, however, as a few times the voice on the other end told him off :)
Is there a way to know what vessels have CB? So I don’t contact one and get no response, and don’t think they’ Ignoring me?
Growing up in Duluth in the 70's I knew a guy who would use a HAM or a CB setup to talk with the freighter crews. Someone apparently didn't appreciate his efforts, however, as a few times the voice on the other end told him off :)
Guest wrote:Before cell phones, my wife and I both had CB Radios to talk each other. One day while we were passing under the Blue Water Bridge I talked to one of the truckers as he sat on the bridge waiting for traffic. He thought it was cool to talk to a laker on the river.
Sailed with a mate that lived in St. Ignace and he'd talk to his wife on a two way radio when we went thru the Straits. If he was on watch he'd stand outside the pilothouse as we passed by.
Before cell phones, my wife and I both had CB Radios to talk each other. One day while we were passing under the Blue Water Bridge I talked to one of the truckers as he sat on the bridge waiting for traffic. He thought it was cool to talk to a laker on the river.
hobieone wrote:all that being said, I knew a guy that grew up in Eagle River MI, not far off the lanes off the Keweenaw Peninsula. He had a CB outfit that he used to sometimes talk with crews sailing past the point. He told me that many boats carried a CB set and that they very much enjoyed the conversations. OF course that that point in the trip they were mid-lake between points West and the Soo and there was not a whole lot to be distracted from. If there was, I'm sure they would just ignore him.
Ok, that’s what it must been! I was confused at how people were doing it.
hobieone wrote:all that being said, I knew a guy that grew up in Eagle River MI, not far off the lanes off the Keweenaw Peninsula. He had a CB outfit that he used to sometimes talk with crews sailing past the point. He told me that many boats carried a CB set and that they very much enjoyed the conversations. OF course that that point in the trip they were mid-lake between points West and the Soo and there was not a whole lot to be distracted from. If there was, I'm sure they would just ignore him.
And it should be noted that if a ship has its own CB set which the crew are using somewhat recreationally, that is a very different thing than contacting them on working marine channels. It would be difficult to understate how potentially unsafe it could be to suddenly appear on a ship crew's working marine radio and jam up that bandwidth while they're communicating about a delicate overhead lift/crane op, cargo operation, or on-board emergency. It would be difficult to overstate how absolutely annoying it would be for a civilian "stranger" to suddenly pop onto a ship's working marine band even if nothing particularly sensitive was going on at the time. Seems like a good way to ensure that they never want to hear your voice again.
This is somewhat along other lines but I remember back in the 1990s a company was running an boat excursion business out of Algonac and I would hear them contacting many of the ships in the lower part of the St. Clair River to get their destination and cargo information apparently to pass along with their passengers. I don't believe they were on Channel 11 the Sarnia Traffic frequency but I was surprised at how many of the ships were cooperative with the information requests. As far as individuals contacting ships that would definitely be the incorrect use of a marine frequency. It is likely that the post about the use of CB radios onboard the vessels may pertain to some of the crew using the radios during their personal time and not in an official capacity such as in the pilothouse. I don't believe there would be any federal restrictions on the recreational use of CB onboard but I may be wrong. I remember when CB became big during the late 1970s. How much is it in use today?
all that being said, I knew a guy that grew up in Eagle River MI, not far off the lanes off the Keweenaw Peninsula. He had a CB outfit that he used to sometimes talk with crews sailing past the point. He told me that many boats carried a CB set and that they very much enjoyed the conversations. OF course that that point in the trip they were mid-lake between points West and the Soo and there was not a whole lot to be distracted from. If there was, I'm sure they would just ignore him.
A HAM license does not authorize you to operate on Marine frequencies.
Handheld Marine transceivers are intended for use only on board or for limited use on shore to communicate with the user's own vessel for necessary activities such as docking.
Unauthorized transmissions on a Marine radio frequency in the US are a violation of Title 47USC and may result in Civil or Criminal prosecution.
No, it is illegal to use marine radio unless you are on a ship or part of its crew. The restricted licence in Canada is for marine mobile use only. An amateur radio (Ham radio) licence does not give you the right to use any other service than amateur radio. It has nothing to do with the marine radio service.
I am a volunteer examiner for amateur radio and restricted marine licences. Basically, you can not use any radio service unless you have the licence to do so or if the service is unlicenced like FRS and CB.
No, not OK. Please do not do this. The crew in the pilothouse is very busy and does not need to be distracted by such calls. And they will shut you down very fast, if they don't flat out ignore you.
These days, I am hearing of more people talking to the ships using a handheld radio to request a salute, get updated schedules, and other things. I always thought this was frowned upon by the CG and the vessels. But with more people doing it, I got wondering, is it ok to transmit on the frequency not having and relationship to the actual work? I assume you need a HAM radio license, but what is considered appropriate, should I do it myself when I have a operation question? Thanks